*****

Dear Grisha,
My French Bulldog puppy, Babette, has been a grateful Puppy Camp student for eight weeks. I wanted to drop a note to make sure you are aware of what amazing work is going on there. I really cannot imagine how Babette’s development would have played out had it not been for Frank, Amber and Katie.

Babette came to me as an extremely shy puppy; too anxious to participate in Kindergarten. She trembled on my lap, refused peanut butter smeared on a plate, averted her gaze when puppies came near. Amber suggested we try puppy camp and assured me of their experience with and affection for shy dogs.

Then I watched in amazement as day by day, Amber, Frank and Katie socialized my fearful puppy. They worked with exquisite patience and obvious expertise. Here’s how Babette looked on Day 2 of Puppy Camp, being rewarded for simply being calm:

Frank and Babette

Babette progressed from peeking at the other puppies from behind a divider, to a curious but skittish visitor as they were tethered, to acknowledging the other puppies then running away, to nose greetings and sniffs, to tentative play. Now she is an exuberant (but gentle) playmate who can initiate play, respect cut-off signals, paw spar and chase. The Ahimsa trainers have been just awesome. Wynona even brought over a younger, shy puppy for Babette to “mentor.”

It is absolutely, positively clear to me that I could not have accomplished this on my own. I’m tremendously impressed with Amber, Frank and Katie’s professionalism; with the depth of their knowledge about positive training and doggie psychology. If you’ll pardon my language — they know their shit, and it shows.

After four weeks of Puppy Camp, Babette could play with other puppies in Amber’s Kindergarten class:

Babette playing!

I have also really appreciated how organized and sane the Puppy Camp experience has been. I was asked for my goals each week and could see they were working towards them. I had report cards each day that helped me understand what Babette was learning and how I could build on that. Katie, Frank and Amber were able to answer every question. They were graceful in the face of transition back from the Annex to the classrooms then back again. They run a tight ship (and a clean one.) They demonstrate abundant support for the owners and tenderness towards all the puppies in their care. It was a privilege to be a part of Ahimsa Puppy Camp.

Now, after Puppy Camp, Babette has achieved DoggieZen:

Babette in a zen moment

I had an unsocialized rescue dog for a short time [she means Babette], so I know what the consequences could look like without Puppy Camp. Babette and I are most grateful!

Sincerely Yours,
Dana

STORE

In order to move the store into the big building, we would have needed to do some construction to set aside space for the retail area and storage of all the items. That would have left us with a smaller classroom and we want to have lots of space and be able to focus on our classes. We will close our retail store in Seattle in March.

If you are in Seattle, stop by for our 40% off of all products. After March, our training center will still carry print copies of the BAT book, the Ahimsa manual, and some treats (in case students forget theirs). The trainers will be able to take cash/check only, so please remember those for play times or shopping once the official store closes.

In the online store at http://doggiezen.com/store we will continue to carry our favorite ebooks and other digital products, but will no longer be shipping products (except for orders already placed). In the near future, that site will have links to where to get some of our recommended dog supplies, both locally and online.

CLASSES

We will have Puppy Class, a new Puppy Elementary School, Puppy Jr. High, Basic Manners, Intermediate Manners, Advanced Manners, Backyard Sports and Games, Control Unleashed, Growly Dog class, and BAT clinic, as well as our free weekly Intro to Dog Training (orientation) seminar. Our trainers are Adriane, Wynona, Rachel, Amber, and Frank. We will also still have private lessons.

If you were in our agility program, we recommend the Seattle Humane Society’s classes in Bellevue. The fab Ali Johnson was teaching agility with us and she continues to teach classes at SHS. We will be selling most of the agility equipment, but keeping some for our Backyard Sports and Games class. We will have a list of available equipment and pricing soon. It will include the super-fancy rubberized dog walk and teeter, as well as tunnels, jumps, weaves, etc. Everything is in great condition, as we purchased it only last year and kept everything indoors. Email frank@doggiezen.com with the subject line ‘agility equipment’ if you are interested in the sale.

PUPPY CAMP

Amber and Frank will be continuing the great service of puppy camp. The cost has been dropped to $269 for this service. It’s an excellent way to provide excellent opportunities for socialization that you just can’t do on your own. Plus it let’s you socialize and train your puppy without as much effort from you!

SEMINARS for DOG TRAINERS

We will have some more excellent seminars for dog trainers and dog enthusiasts on our schedule soon. Right now, we have Lori Stevens teaching a workshop for senior dogs in July (how to keep them feeling young, basically, using TTouch, massage, creative strength training, etc.) and a weekend on science and behavior analysis with Dr. Susan Friedman next summer.

Visit http://doggiezen.com/workshop for details. You can also sign up for a hands-on 5-day instructor’s course on BAT in Pennsylvania (April) or Alaska (August) on that page.

****

Please be pardon our dust and be patient with us as we make changes to the website and training center in Ballard. The store is being liquidated and there are bound to be a few bumps along the way.

We will have classes as scheduled until April 26. Starting the last weekend of April, our address will be 925 NW 49th Street, Suite C, which is just across the street from our old training center. We will miss the brilliant team members that will be moving on: Ali M., Tomi, Jennifer, Jill, and Ali J. You may see some of the more passionate ones in your classes as volunteers. Change is challenging, but I think this will be a good move for our clients, as we get back to our core: training family dogs in humane and effective ways (and trying to have fun at the same time).

We’ll continue to have trainers answering your dog (and cat) questions on the radio on Sundays from 1-3 pm on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, so please listen in (the online version has a lot fewer commercials, so we recommend listening that way). Click here to learn more about Raining Cats and Dogs.

1. Best of Seattle

We may not have actually shared this news yet, so… Thanks to your votes last fall, Ahimsa Dog Training was second place in the Best of Western Washington contest–first among the training facilities in the Seattle area. So thank you!!

2. January is Train Your Dog Month

In honor of Train Your Dog Month, we are giving shelters and other official non-profit organizations (including flyball and obedience clubs, etc.) a 30% discount on the book, “The Official Ahimsa Dog Training Manual: A Practical, Force-Free Guide to Problem Solving & Manners.” If you got your dog from a shelter, consider giving back by donating a copy of this book (although you might check with them first to see if they have it, as the very first thing we did this month was give away 150 copies of the book to shelters and other non-profits). Info is at http://functionalrewards.com/free-book-for-sheltersrescues/

3. “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs” Radio Show

Grisha, Adriane, and Wynona will be representing Ahimsa as co-hosts of the new show, “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs!” This show will air on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM on Sundays in Seattle, but will be available via streaming anywhere in the world. Adriane, Wynona, Grisha, and another trainer (Joey Iversen) will take turns co-hosting with radio personality Shawn Stewart. Please call in with your questions or post them on the contact page for the show (soon there will be a Facebook page so you can facebook your questions). http://www.Mynorthwest.com/pets

4. New Workshops: Puppy Survival and Dog Aggression 101

If you haven’t trained for a while, get back in the game! Teach your dog some new tricks using the skills we taught you in class, or come sharpen up your skills even more by joining us for a class or workshop. We have two great new workshops, in addition to Jumping Up, Possession Aggression, Come Here!, Bravery Boost, and Walking, Puppy Survival is a free screening of Grisha’s “Give Your Puppy a Choice” DVD, followed by a Q&A on puppy issues with a trainer. The Dog Aggression 101 workshop is a great first step in the journey toward helping your reactive dog act ‘normal’ again.

Info on the workshops is at http://ahimsadogtraining.com/class/seminars.php and information on classes is at http://ahimsadogtraining.com/class/

5. North to Alaska

Ahimsa’s owner, Grisha Stewart, moved to Alaska last month, but she uses technology to continue to supervise the great work done here at Ahimsa. She will also be stopping off in Seattle when she flies to give seminars to other trainers around the world. Adriane Villanueva (manager) and Ali Messinger (assistant manager) are here to assist you if you have any questions or concerns. They have been successfully managing Ahimsa all year, with Grisha traveling for seminars, so it’s not actually a giant change to have Grisha living in Alaska. (For Ahimsa, that is…Grisha’s dog, Peanut, now has to wear a coat and booties for his walks!)

6. New illustrations for the Ahimsa Manual

The Official Ahimsa Dog Training Manual: Force-Free Problem Solving and Training’ has a brand new set of illustrations! We have also cleaned up some typos for this version and clarified a few points. Lili Chin is the illustrator for the Ahimsa Manual and Grisha’s other book, Behavior Adjustment Training. For info on all of Grisha’s books and DVDs, visit http://ahimsadogtraining.com/store/products.php?cat=BAT+for+Reactivity and to see a chapter preview of the Ahimsa Manual, see http://ahimsadogtraining.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=MCH-0207&cat=23

7.. Did you know?

If you see a dog in a yellow harness, collar, or leash, or see any other yellow on the dog (like a ribbon), that means the dog needs space from people and/or other dogs and you should avoid them (in heat, scared, sick, aggressive, jumpy, in training, etc.). This is a new rule that is taking hold all around the world. Please share it with your dog friends and all people, really, because they may come into contact with dogs. Here is some information about the international Yellow Dog Project: http://theyellowdogproject.com

p.s. We have yellow harnesses and leashes in our store!

p.p.s. If you are a trainer who is interested in a tax-deductible trip to Alaska this summer, take a look at the 5-day BAT Instructor’s course in Anchorage: http://doggiezen.com/class/batinstructors.php Or for something more exotic, try Portugal next month: http://doggiezen.com/class/specialevents/bat-portugal2013.php

Grisha developed Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) for dogs with reactivity issues. We use it in several dog classes at Ahimsa in Seattle, From Growly Dog classes to private lessons to puppy kindergarten.

Some of what Victoria said about BAT in the interview: “This is a positive dog training technique… And it’s not all happy clappy and it’s not just about stuffing food in your dog’s face. It’s about giving your dog what it needs to be successful in this crazy domestic world with us….You’re working along with the dog. I think that’s crucial. So people, if you are out there and you have a question….about how to deal with reactive dogs… you’re going to get better results from doing techniques like the BAT technique. I’ve seen it done, I’ve done it myself, I’ve seen it on videos and Grisha’s DVDs, I’ve heard about it from trainers all over the world who use it. This is a great technique and this is something else that you can do with your reactive dog to help it cope with the world around it.” (our emphasis)

0. (too late for this right now, but do it at least a few weeks before the net set of fireworks…get a sound desensitization CD and get your dog used to the noises using the recording and the protocol below).

But here’s what you can do right now:

1. Stay home, don’t go out dancing and leave your pup to suffer.
2. Play calming music or watch television
3. Have a container of fabulous treats in reach (so you don’t have to jump up to get them). Toys are also a good choice for dogs who love toys more than steak.
4. Whenever a firework goes off, close your eyes, breathe out calmly, grab a treat and give it to your dog (you may have to open your eyes for this). Feel free to toss a handful of treats on the floor. If it’s a toy, you can throw it. Do this every time there’s a boom and if the noise is long, just keep calmly tossing out treats.
5. During and after the treat tossing, visualize your most pleasant memory/fantasy in great detail. It can be rated G, like thinking about world peace or the taste of chocolate on your tongue, but it doesn’t have to be.

The visualization step is important. I don’t think I’ve heard it suggested elsewhere, but it really helps my dog Peanut. It can also really help to actually do normal things, like lie down for a nap, wash dishes, talk on the phone, do yoga, etc. (Thanks to Kathy Seube for the reminder!)

Other tips: put on an Anxiety Wrap or Thundershirt a while before the fireworks start. This should not be your dog’s first use of such a wrap (otherwise they will associate the wrap with the noises, which is bad). Use Happy Traveler or some other herbal anti-stress medication, have calming oils in the room, like lavender…

If you have enough time before the fireworks play in your area, you can play a sound CD of fireworks at low low volume in the morning and gradually raise the volume during the day. Then by the time the real fireworks come, your dog will just think it’s part of the CD.

If you really must go out,

• Take a long walk to exercise your dog before you go so that he is likely to be asleep.
• Leave him with music and/or television on.
• Leave him with a full food puzzle (or several) for him to enjoy while you are gone. If you have a Kong, you can freeze it with food or if you don’t have time to prepare that, put melted cheese in it to make it last a while. Melting cheese in a glass container that you transfer to the Kong is ideal, but you can put a 1-inch cube of cheese into the Kong, microwave for 20 seconds, and swirl it around to get it coated with cheese. Cool off before giving to the dog.

The last day of the sale is also the last day that we will guarantee delivery by Christmas in the US for in-stock items.

Worried about delivery? We have ebooks!

Note that this coupon is for products only.

He mentioned that the increase in cases was “significant, but it is not an epidemic.” The dogs who were sick were all treated and survived, and they seemed to have an incomplete vaccination history. So the vaccination probably would have protected them.

The good news is that it does not appear to be a new strain, although they are sending the culture out for testing. The number of cases has dropped back down to normal.

I asked him about puppy class recommendations and it does not seem to be different from what it always has been, so that is good news. His advice was to balance out the need for socialization with the need for health safety. The incubation period for parvo is usually 4-7 days but can be up to 12 days. So he recommends that you have your puppy for 12 days before starting classes, to be sure you are not bringing a sick dog into class.

At Ahimsa Dog Training we clean the floors nightly with a virucide that is effective against parvo and other things dogs can catch. Puppies are the first ones in, so the rooms are as clean as they can be for classes. Clean classrooms are “better than public high traffic areas” according to Wirenga, and I agree. Puppies must have at least 2 sets of vaccines for higher traffic areas (more for high risk breeds like rotties, pitties, dobes). But his rule of thumb was having your puppy for 12 days before class and at least the first set of shots.

Early socialization is critical to help puppies learn to avoid aggression, fear, and other issues, so even though it may seem safer to just keep your puppy at home through all sets of shots, it is not. Behavior issues are also a huge killer of dogs, so please be safe and balance socialization with medical safety.

I also spoke to Kara Main-Hester, Ph,D. at the Seattle Animal Shelter and she had this to say, “In general, Dr. Hopkins with Public Health hasn’t seen a significant up-tick in the area, though it’s not something that requires reporting. Honestly, people just need to vaccinate and keep their puppies out of dog parks.  Puppy playgroups at facilities that have good cleaning protocols is the only safe way to introduce a less-than-fully vaccinated puppy to the world.”

For more info from ACCES is at http://www.criticalcarevets.com/blog/parvovirus-%E2%80%93-update

Hi folks, we have a few important announcements:

1. Toxic algae in Green Lake (Seattle)

Please do not let your dogs drink from the lake right now. It is poisonous. http://tinyurl.com/8kkgfjj

2. Vote for Ahimsa! Every vote counts.

We would really appreciate your vote for Ahimsa in the Best of Western Washington Contest. Voting ends very soon, so please vote today. If you have a chance to also leave a comment, that would be great! The more specific, the better. We are close to winning again, but we need some more votes:

http://doggiezen.com/vote

If you vote for us, you can use the coupon code VOTE at checkout to save 10% off of Grisha’s new book, the “Ahimsa Dog Training Manual” – as a paperback or ebook. (Okay, you can use it if you don’t vote, too, but we’d still appreciate the vote!) The coupon is good for 4 days, which is when the voting ends. http://doggiezen.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=MCH-0207

3. Have a Safe and Happy Halloween

Halloween is a fun time for people, but it can be hard for dogs. Please keep the candy in a safe place away from your dog and give your dog a safe and happy place to be when the trick-or-treaters come. Stuff several Kongs in advance and pop them in the freezer. Use low-sodium chicken broth, boiled or baked pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, or wet dog food (or all mixed together). Put up a baby gate or keep your dog in a room away from the front door (preferably not alone) if your dog or puppy might escape, so that you don’t have to pay as much attention. If you have a dog with aggression issues, turn out your lights or go outside with your candy so that the doorbell doesn’t ring.

Thanks again for voting at http://doggiezen.com/vote – only 4 days left!

The happy Ahimsa Staff

_________________________________
Ahimsa Dog Training, LLC
902 NW 49th Street, Seattle, WA 98107
Phone: 206-364-4072 Fax: 206-524-6039
Website: http://DoggieZen.com

Award-winning training by professionals who care about people and dogs!

http://facebook.com/doggiezen     http://twitter.com/doggiezen

What to do: Stuff your puppy’s lunch into a Kong toy (add peanut butter or wet food for an added challenge), other food puzzle, or a sealed up milk carton with holes in it to let the food fall out. Sit out in the yard yourself some of the time and occasionally sneak inside so that your puppy can also get used to being out there alone. Go back out before your dog or puppy begins to get lonely.

Stay relaxed: Your dog or puppy is also looking to you for social cues when something happens, so keep your breathing calm and relaxed. Even if your least favorite neighbor comes up to chat, avoid holding your breath, stiffening your posture, clenching your fists, etc. Keep your body loose, breathe out as the person walks up, and turn your body at an angle – facing them directly is a challenge in the canine world. This is especially important for older dogs, who are more savvy at reading body language.

If you don’t have a yard, do this on the front steps of your apartment or condo complex, or go to a nearby park. This can be done for houses, too. Maybe bring a blanket for your puppy to be on to avoid germs. If your puppy is fearful, move farther away from the foot traffic. If your dog is on leash, hook it to a harness and keep the leash loose whenever possible.

Repeat this exercise as often as you can, say once or twice per weekend for the next month or two. You can even just stuff all of your dogs meals into food puzzles and have him/her eat them outside. You’ll be glad you build this strong foundation of calm in the yard.

Don’t plan on leaving your dog alone while you are at work. Chances are, your dog will just learn to bark at passersby and won’t really get more exercise. He might even get teased by kids or develop thunder phobia. Leave your dog inside (puppies can be crated or in puppy-proof areas) when you’re not there for extended periods of time.

One more tip. If you have a neighbor dog that barks at your dog, you might put up an intermediate barrier, like an exercise pen, that keeps your dog away from the fence. That will build up a habit of not going nose to nose.

• Starting April 9th.
• 2 staff members to supervise the puppies.
• Up to 6 Puppies, 2-5 months old. Play will often be in smaller groups.
• So what is this, exactly? A tired dog is a good dog, but a trained, tired puppy is even better. And we do your homework for you! Ok, so it’s good to keep doing it, but think of how much faster your puppy will learn housetraining, crate training, sit, down, stay, targeting, and the rest with some expert help.
• Training, play time, and chill-out time. That way, puppies don’t just learn to see other dogs and immediately jump into play mode. Your puppy will have a chance to learn to settle with other dogs around.
• Great for pet dogs and competition dogs.
• Daily report card on each puppy for potty training, skills, socialization, etc. Each week, you can select skills or problems for our staff to focus on during the Puppy Day Camp.
• Clean and safe environment (both physically and emotionally).
• We’ll provide crates, or you can bring yours. Bring your own bed so we can work on ‘go to your bed’ with your dog’s own bed, which will help the skills transfer to your home crate.
• Sessions will be in the brand new Ahimsa Annex (with the possibility of field trips, depending on the vaccination status of the puppies).
• Drop off 7:30-8, pick-up 11:30-noon.
• Camp is Monday through Thursday. Book by the week, have your puppy come as many weeks as you want.

We can’t wait!! Thoughts? Comments? Questions?

We will be doing an Agility Demo on Thursday, 2/16 at our new Annex – an extra big classroom for Competition Agility, Backyard Sports & Games, practice rentals, and some of our other classes that need more space. Here are the details.

Where: Ahimsa’s new space (the annex), at 925 C NW 49th St. in Ballard (Seattle).

When: February 16, 2012, 6:00 until 7:30pm. (If you’re participating, please arrive at 4:30 to help set up the space and start warming up at about 5:00 pm.

What: An Agility Demo, which will be run like a miniature trial, with all obstacles included (there may only be 6 weaves since ours may not have arrived yet). Treats and toys will be allowed on course.

Why: For fun, for training (new environment, spectators, and treats/toys allowed–super cool!), for the good of the agility community!

NO DOGS: Please do NOT bring your dog unless you’re one of the people who’ve arranged with Ali for the demo (see below). Thanks!!

If you’re an experienced agility person and have trained your dog with positive methods, contact Ali Johnson, our awesome (new to us) agility instructor, to see if we still have space for participants.

I just had to share it with you all, especially since January is Train Your Dog Month!

We’ll be hosting a seminar with Ken Ramirez in Seattle in 2013. Keep your eyes open and check our Events Page frequently, or subscribe to our seminar newsletter. Here’s the quote (the bold part is my emphasis):

“My message would be simple: training is not a luxury, but a key component to good animal care. Everyone who has a pet should understand that basic fact. Training is a way to enhance the quality of life for our pets. It is far more than just teaching a dog to do a cute trick. Training is about teaching a dog (or any animal) how to live in our world safely.”

This is so true. I had a conversation with some friends last night and one of them said, “my goal is to pick a dog that doesn’t need training, like our last two.” Newsflash: all dogs need training, some more ‘officially’ than others. Everything we do with a dog teaches them the rules of our household, so whether you think you are training or not, you are! Having a consistent plan just makes things simpler, less confusing, and more fun for human and dog (if you’re using rewards).

For example, with training, you can simply say, “leave it” if your dog is checking out something you’d rather he leave alone, instead of raising your voice and yelling something random. Isn’t that better for everyone?

And don’t even get me started on the importance of puppy and teen dog socialization… Skipping socialization in puppyhood is neglect — a lazy version of dog abuse.

Interested in training your dog or puppy? Check out our list of dog training classes, which now includes Agility and Control Unleashed classes by Ali Johnson, CPDT-KA, plus Troubled Teens, Growly Dog 1 & 2, Basic Manners, Puppy Kindergarten and more.

This game is a fun way to train your dog to hold still when you approach. The idea is to teach them to anticipate a fun run in the direction you’re coming from, versus away from you. First teach your dog a stand-stay with positive reinforcement (see our awesome friend Emily Larlham on the kikopup channel on YouTube and/or attend an Ahimsa class). After this, you’ll want to rehearse in a variety of ways – approach with leash/collar, different speeds, etc. other ideas for helping this problem: teaching a strong recall, targeting your empty hand or the leash with their nose for treats/toys, etc. When in doubt, use more treats!

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICCJDoHij1c

If you already have an account, you’ll need to create a new one. I’m really sorry for that, but none of the info on referral sales was coming through before.

Each month, you get 8% of the sales via a check (details on our site). If you give a link to the BATting 1000 DVD, for example, that makes you $10. Click here to learn more.

Jennifer Brown of Phuket, Thailand, on Soi Dogs will be speaking on Wednesday Nov 9 from 7-8 PM.

This talk should be of key interest to those who travel and spend their tourist dollars in Thailand and surrounding areas, as well as everyone interested in improving animal welfare globally.

If you have been considering becoming more involved with such issues as stopping the dog meat trade and other forms of cruelty, increasing awareness and support for spay and neuter programs, and advocating for rabies vaccination instead of mass culling by poison bait this is your chance to come and hear first-hand what it’s like in these area’s of the world and learn how you can be part of the solution.

We will have videos and photos (from both Thailand and Bali) during the talk. Also, shirts and other Soi Dog goodies available for a modest donation.

Jennifer has a BSc with Honors in Veterinary and Animal Science with a concentration in molecular biology. Her current research interests focus on bioethics and ethology. She is finishing her Masters in Bioethics at Monash University in Melbourne, AU as well as taking cognitive science/psychology coursework at Harvard University. She currently resides in Phuket, Thailand. While in Thailand she conducts research and volunteers at the not-for-profit Soi Dog Foundation.  For more information on her, please visit http://www.soidog.org/.

Wednesday, November 9th, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Legacy Canine Behavior & Training, 252 Kitchen Dick Road, Sequim, WA 98382

FREE!

In addition to the presentation, there will be a free drawing for those present for two baskets of dog related gifts!

1. Halloween is here and the rest of the holiday season is coming soon

We will be closed only in the evening of Halloween. Morning classes will take place, but we close at 2:30 pm on October 31. See below for Halloween tips. We will also be closed Weds-Sunday on the week of Thanksgiving and December 23 – January 1.

If you are registered for a class, you got an email with dates that you have reserved. Notice that these are not always consecutive! Your registration may have a skip date because we are closed for a holiday or because that hour of the class was full when you registered. Please note the actual dates you reserved with your class.

You can log in at http://ahimsadogtraining.com to see or CHANGE your reserved dates, using your order ID (which is in the email and on your punchcard). Changing dates allows you the flexibility to celebrate your own holidays or go on vacation.

2. Best of Western Washington Contest Results

We won second place this year! The first place winner is also a positive trainer (yay!) and does private lessons outside of Seattle. So that still makes us the top facility in Seattle, and the top group classes in Western WA! Thanks so much to those of you who have voted this year and in the past. We’ve been in the top 3 for the last four years, including a win last year. Thanks in advance for next year’s votes.

3. Puppy Jr. High starting this week

Most of our classes are ongoing (so you can start any time), but “series” classes have 6 set meeting dates, so if you miss the start date, you miss out! If you are currently enrolled in an ongoing class, contact us and we will give you a pro-rated discount to switch into one of the series classes.

Puppy Junior High is for dogs 5-9 months who have finished Puppy Kindergarten. It has socialization and rock-solid training. Small breed and all sizes classes start this week!

We also have Core Skills and Troubled Teens classes starting in the next few weeks. The next Growly Dog 2 class is already on the schedule, so don’t miss out!

Note: series class students can still drop into our ongoing classes and the workshops for dog owners, like Come Here, Jumping Up, Bravery Boost, etc. for free (space-available basis). Info on all of our classes, including Nose Work, Growly Dog, and Backyard Sports and Games is at http://doggiezen.com/class

4. Association of Pet Dog Trainers

Mireille and I (Grisha) attended the national conference for positive dog training, APDT, in San Diego. We both came back with great new ideas. Mireille attended a variety of talks and assisted my presentation on BAT. Both of my seminars on BAT had about 500 people in them!! The books at the seminar just about sold out, and I recently heard that they did sell out at the APDT conference in Australia.

5. Featured store items (We ship anywhere in the world, so think about us for the holidays)

• BATting 1000: 2 Day BAT seminar DVD on Aggression, Frustration, and Fear. It has video clips of what to do with a frustrated greeter. This replaces the 1-day DVD and has more info on everything. A great add-on to the book!!
• Premier sale continues. This is your last chance to get these Premier items without supporting Petsafe (long story, involves one of my favorite brands being taken over by a company that makes shock collars). We’re selling the rest of the stock we have at near-wholesale prices. Search http://doggiezen.com/store for CLOSEOUT.
• DuraDoggie Beba Toy is a squeaker and food puzzle all in one! And 20% of the company’s profits go to charities, based on the colors you choose.
• Look for 3 new items soon: Prairie Dog antlers, car seatbelts for dogs, and hammock-style seatcovers for your back seat.

6. Did you know?

Your dog may enjoy all the fun and visitors of Halloween, but many dogs don’t like the constant intrusion. If you can’t just shut out your lights to keep the visitors out, give your dog a series of stuffed food puzzles throughout the night, preferably in a room away from the door.

If you have a puppy or happy-go-lucky dog, this is a great night to practice polite greeting at the door, if you have one person to answer the door and one person to treat the dog. If you live alone, have a friend come to your house to help out! This will pay off big time in your puppy’s future. If that’s not possible, use a baby gate or a tether to keep the puppy from dashing out the door, and remember to reward good behavior with dog treats, not candy.

You may even be able to get the children to give your puppy a treat, but make sure that your puppy is allowed to get away if she’s nervous, and that she doesn’t get any candy!

Candy is a big danger on Halloween, so keep yours up on a high surface to keep your dog out of trouble. Click for more tips from the ASPCA.

p.s. A few more reminders from our trainers:

* Any dogs enrolled in Puppy Kindergarten or attending puppy play times should not be going to dog parks, day care, or boarding kennels.

* Wear warm clothing, as many of our training classes spend some time outside.

p.p.s. Visit our Facebook page for news and info, or to just “Like” us. http://www.facebook.com/doggiezen

This article also has an interesting clip of an iguana being threatened by an iPhone. It’s interesting in the sense of reading iguana body language, but it’s awful in the sense that people do mean things to animals just to have a laugh…

DEBBIE IS COMING TO SEATTLE on November 5, 2011 to give a seminar for Ahimsa. It is called Living With and Training a Fearful Dog. Join us and please help spread the word.